Method of and apparatus for treating timbers and the like



May 27 1924. 1,495,863

A. MEYER ET AL METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TIMBERS AND THE LIKE Filed May a, 1922 Ma /wraps Patented May 2?, 192%.

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AUGUST MEYER, or Mmmnaroms, MInnEsoTA, Ann Tire a. WALSH, OF'ST. LOUIS,

. rssounr.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR Application filed May .8,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, AUGUsT MEYER and PHILIP R. WVALsH, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, and State of Minnesota, and'the city of 'St. Louis and State of Missouri, respectively, have invented certain new and-useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Treating Timbers and the like, of which tllefollow-v ing is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof. I a

Our invention relates to improvements in the method of and: apparatus/for" treating timbers,- and. the like, and has for its primary object a method of and apparatus for treating a predetermined portion .of

the lower or butt ends of telephone-poles,

' a valve 26, the purpose of which will be pilings, posts and similar timbers.

A further object is a method oftr'eating timbers and the like with a preservative whereby a deeper. penetration of the preservative in the wood cells, ducts or vessels,

is possible and at the sametime not losing any of the more volatile essential oils. 3

This is an improvement on Letters Patent No. 1,422,119 issued to us on the 11th day of July, 1922.

The drawing illustrates the device/ by which our method is carried out.

In the construction pfour. invention we employ a treating tank. 1. This tank is preferably vertical, and is located in a pit. Located adjacent the edge ot' the pit is "connected to the y means of a pipe 3. This pipe a valve 4 for controll ngithei flow of liquid from the storagetank the treating tank. The pipe 3 is provided with an upwardly extending portion .5, which leads into the top of the tank. The portion 5 is also provided with a valve 6 whereby it can be closed ofi.

Immediately below the valve 6 is a 7, which is provided with "a valve 8.- This valve f can be used for various purposes, such as draining the tank or cleaning out the pipes or tank.- 7 P a,

The tank 1 is provided with a cover 9, which is secured to the flange 10 of the tank by means of bolts 11 so as to make an air and liquid tight connection. The

TREATING 'rrmnnns m- T LIKE.

1922. scrim no.55a2es.

connected to a steam line 15 by means of branch pipes 16, which branch pipes are provided with valves 17 so-that the flow of steam into the coils canbe controlled. The, steam pipe 15 terminates in a boiler 18. Located adjacent the pit is an air com pressor 19, a. vacuum pump 20 and a liquid pump' 21. These umps are operated b meansof branch pipes 22, 23 and 24, whic are connected to the steam pipe 15.. These ,branch pipes are provided with 1 valves 25 for controlling the admission of steam to the various pumps.

The branch pipe 24 is also provided with explained later. Connected to the air. pump .19 1s a pipe 27, which enters the treating tank 1 near its top. This pipe'is provided with a valve 28. The vacuum pump 2 is provided with a pipe 29, which enters the tank, 1 at a short distance below the pipe '27. The pipe 29 is also rovided with a. branch 30 which enters t e tank "1 at a point near its bottom. The ipe'29 is pro vided with a valve 31, this va ve being interposed in the pipe between the branch 30' and the pump 20.

Located in the pit and adjacent the tank 1 is a chamber &. This chamber is connected' at its bottom to the lower portion of the tank 1 by a pipe connection 33. A

second pipe 34 connects the upper portion ofthe chamber 32 with the upper portion this stem extending throughthe top I the float chamber. The top 37 is provided with a packing gland 38 so as to preventthe leakage of air around the stein 36. The upper portion of the stem 36' is provided with a plurality of -openings '39, into which a pin'40, is adapted to fit. This pin '40 extends through the slotted end 41 ofthe lever 42:. This lever is pivotally mounted at the point indicated by the numeral 43- weight 47. This weight is secured between the pivot i3 and the slotted end'41.

pump; 20 placed in operation.

' The operation of our "device is as follows:

i The timbers to be treated are first placed in the treating tank 1, after which the false top 48 is placed in position. Thecover 9 is then secured in place, and the vacuum This ex- -xhfillStS the air within the tank and also draws out air from the wood cells and ducts soas to create a partial vacuum within the timbers. Before this time, if found desirable, steam may be admitted to the coil 13 through the pipe 16 or directly to the timbers whichwill assist in driving ofi moisture from the timbers, or -in-other words, seasoning them.

' After the vacuum has been maintained for a sufficient length of time, the valve 31 is closed. The float 35 is regulated 'by' means of the openings 39 and pin 40 and the valve 4' then opened. The vacuum in the chamber 1 now causes the preserving fluid in the tank 2 to be drawn violently downward into the tank 1, where it rises. This liquid also rises in the chamber 32,'and when a predetermined height has been reached the lever 42 will be in substantially a horizontal position, as indicated in the drawing. The valve 4 isv then closed, the air pump 19 started, and the valve 28 opened.

Compressed air is now admitted into the treating tank above the liquid. This compressed air imparts pressure to the liquid and forces it into the timbers. The compressed air also flows into the chamber 32 7 through the pipe 34, so that tli'si level of line and suction line 51 respectively, the

chamber until the original level is.

liquid' in the chamber 32 will remain the same as in the treating tank 1-. At this time the valve 26 is closed ofi by means of the float 35 and 36 acting upon. the

lever. The steam valve 25 leading to the pump 21. is opened, as are the valves 48 and 49, which are mounted in the supply supply line 50 leading intothe tank 1 near its bottom and thesuction line 51 into the tank 2'. I v s When the valves. 48 and; 49 have bwn opened and any absorption bythe timbers takes place, the float 35 will be lowered. This lowering of the float will cause the lever 42 to be rocked and open the valve 26 which places the pump 21 in action and pumpsadditional liquid into the tting reached, when the valve 26 is closed and the ;a stop.

1 pure wiin the masses tained until the timbers have been sufiiciently treated. Then the valve 6 is opened and the compressed air within the treating chamber 1 will force the liquid therefrom through the pipes 3 and 5 and into the siorage chamber. After thesurplus treatamount of preservative absorbed by the tiinber. This has been found preferable, because there is always acertain amount of excessive preservative retained by the timber, which is not necessary for its preservation, and which gradually seepsout and is lost, thus causing a waste of preservative.

Aftertheseco'nd' vacuum has been applied i for a sufficient length of time the air! is admitted to the treating chamber, the or cover removed, after which can be had to the timbers the tank. i

.By the use of ourdevideit automatically maintain a constant levelof the liquid within the treating chamber so for their removal mm that the liquid will penetrate deeply into.

the wood to'the desired heighton the tim- 'be r, while were this liquid levelfnot main-- tained, the absorption of the preservative bythe timbers would cause agradual low,-

'ering and consequently. it would be necessary to' treat a greater length of timber than was actually required. '1

Having fully 'describedflour invention, what we claim 1s: I

1.,The herein describedprocess of treating a predetermined portion of a piece of timber with a preservative liquid by immersingthe terminal portion thereof to th desired extentin the treating liquid, producing a pressure above the 1 li uid and about the free extending portion 0 thetimber to cause a penetration of the liquid and maintaining a constant liquid level about the timber being treated.

2. The herein described method of treating at one and the same time, predetermined portions of timbers with a preserving liquid, which consists in. assembling a plurality of inc-f snch timbers in ast'ibstantially upright posi- 131911 and' immersing the terminal portions thereof to the desired extent in the treating liquid .and producing a pressure above and acting on the surface of the liquid and about the free extending portions of the timbers tocause a deep penetration of the liquid into the immersed portions of the bodies of the timbers and maintaining a gonstant level of the liquid around the timers.

3. mm herein described method, of treat- I tank to withdraw air and moisture from the cells of the timber, thereafter admitting a sufiicient quantity of the treating liquid to immerse a terminal portion of the timber to the desired point producing a pressure above the liquid and about the free extending portion of the, timber to cause a deep penetration of the liquid into the immersed portion of the body of the timber, and maintaining a constant liquid level within the tank.

4. An apparatus for the simultaneous treatment of predetermined portions of a number of timber poles, piling and the like, comprising a treating tank arranged in a substantially upright position and provided with a closure means and uninterrupted from topto bottom to permit the intro: duction of a number of timbers into the tank which are supported at their lower ends, a liquid connection leading to the tank near its bottom through which is delivered a preservative liquid, an air pressure line connection with the tank at the upper portion thereof, a vacuum line connection with the tank, and means whereby .a constant liquid level may be automatically -maintained within the tank.

5. An apparatus for the simultaneous treatment of predetermined portions of a number of timber poles, piling and the'like, comprising a treating tank arranged in a substantially upright position and provided with a closure means and uninterrupted from top to bottom to permit the introduction of a number of timbers into the tan; which are supported at their lower ends, a liquidstorage tank, a liquid connection leading from the storage tank to the treat-' ing tank at a point near its bottom through which is delivered a preservative liquid, an air pressure line connected with the tank at the upper portion thereof, a vacuum line connection with the tank, means whereby a constant liquid level may be automatically maintained within the tank, and means for .supplying heat to the interior of the storage and treating tanks.

e. The herein described method of treat-' ing a timber with a preserving liquid, which consists in placing it within an air and liquid tighttank, creating a vacuum in the tank to withdraw air and moisture from the, cells of the timber, thereafter admitting a suflicient quantity of the treating liquid vto immerse a terminal portion of the timber to the desired point producing a pressure above the liquid and about the free e tendpenetrationof the liquid into the immersed portion of the body of the timber, maintaining a constant liquid level within the tank, and supplying heat to the treating liquid botlll before and after its delivery into the 7. The'herein described method of treating a timber with a preservative liquid,

which consists in placingit within an 'air and liquid tight tan creating a vacuum in the tank to withdraw air and moisturefrom the cells of the timber, thereafter admitting a suflicient quantity of treating liquid to tank during the pressure period, withdrawing the treating liquid from the tank, and then creating a vacuum within thetank to withdraw the excess treating liquid contained within the cells of the timber.

In testimony, whereof, we havesigned our.

names to this specification.

i AUGUST MEYER.

PHILIP R.

ing portion of the timber to cause a deep of the-timber, maintalning a 

